Landing
by Akkiko
Summary: The typical story, you're sorry and it's too little too late. What if I told you he was alive? What if I told you he never wanted to see any of you again? If you want to see him, prove to me you're worthy of him. Kaito's POV.
1. Chapter 1

**This story is a sequel to "Free Fall." **

**Please go back and read that before continuing with this one.**

**Author's notes: **I decided to make this part a seperate story for... I dunno, some reason I just wasn't comfortable with coupling this story with the other one. Perhaps because that was originally intended as a one shot, hahaha...

**Title: **Landing.

**Summary: **The typical story, you're sorry and it's too little too late. What if I told you he was alive? What if I told you he never wanted to see any of you again? If you want to see him, prove to me you're worthy of him. Kaito's POV.

**Pairings: **???

**Warnings: **Original characters, angst, OOCness, yaoi, character death.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Prince of Tennis or I swear to God I'd have killed Atobe. ... or at least given him some redeeming qualities. You're lucky Kato plays you so well in the musical Atobe...

* * *

_The atmosphere was so tense, even Nanjirou, moron of morons picked up on it and fled hastily. You kept looking at me, they were subtle looks, well as subtle as you can be, but I caught them anyway. I had to admit the bandages over my face were itchy but I was so in tune with you my doubles partner that I understood immediately. You looked so frustrated, all you know is tennis and now that I'm crippled, I can't play it anymore. You understand how agonizing that is for me, even if I don't show it._

_What a crime that we're both younger than 12 and neither of us can express emotions properly._

_So, Ryo? How will you act around me now? You want to apologize, but you don't know how. You think maybe playing a match with me would get your feelings across, everything is revealed in tennis. _

_But I can't play._

_What now Ryo?_

Idiot Ryo. I press the stop button on my cassette player and cut off your voice sharply. It's the fifth time I've listened to your last message and every cell in my body boils at the thought of meeting your so called "friends." How well I remember that time after the accident. We sat in your house at the table, you frustrated at being unable to say sorry properly, and me in pain both physical and mental. A simple smile on my part solved it all. There was nothing I could do, so I accepted it. It was never your fault, circumstances occured and you couldn't have predicted them, it was my choice to protect you.

Just like it was your choice to move to Japan and commit suicide.

Stupid Ryo. That's how I find myself in Japan right now. For your funeral, I'm so pissed I haven't talked to anyone aside from nee-chan and Aunt Rinko. I had a feeling if I met any of your so called friends, I might have killed them. Then what? I'd be stuck in jail, and you'd be stuck with them in the afterlife. No way I'd risk that. I've seen one of them on TV. This Keigo Atobe guy, he looks like a Queen.

Do you remember me, Ryo?

Kaito Meino, I'm your cousin Ryo. I've grown out my hair, its longer than nee-chan's now, and yeah I've still got that split in my hair that lets my bangs fall completely over the left side of my face, hiding my deformation. I've started tying it up in a ponytail and leaving it behind my back because if I don't your stupid dad says its too long for tennis. Then he remembers I can't play tennis and then he remembers you can't either and starts crying again.

I wonder if you were still the shorty you always were, I'm 5'11" now, I was looking forward to teasing you about that when you came back for this year's U.S. Open in the summer. I've met your friend Kevin and I'm not mad at him. He's so withdrawn right now and he feels horrible he couldn't do anything from the states. We met on the court before your death and I'm rooming with him right now, I don't think it's safe to leave him alone for too long.

For once I'm glad I don't have nee-chan's gentle eyes, I glare out of my good eye at everyone who tries to approach me with words of consolation or sympathy. I don't want their fucking bullshit lies. You were my cousin, from day one when you were born I wanted to protect you like nee-chan cared for me. When you moved away to Japan, I rarely ever heard from you, and by the time I found out you were participating in the U.S. Open in middle school, you'd already left again. I didn't hate you for that, it's how you were. Obsessed with your dreams of becoming number one of the tennis world, you didn't have time for your old doubles partner. Besides, it was elementary school, who the hell remembers that? You could barely remember my name everytime I came to visit, it always made me laugh.

I'm walking along the Kappa Beach now, looking out at the endless span of sea as the sun begins to rise. I should get back to the hotel soon before Kevin wakes up and finds himself alone. He needs someone right now, he might be more experienced than he deserves to be for his age, but he's still a kid. I guess that's when I see it.

I see you.

* * *

I walk up the driveway to that expensive looking manor. It looks like my directions were correct. As I stop at the front door, I jam my hand into the pocket of my faded jeans and curling my hand into a fist, slam it on the mahogany wood door. This is my version of knocking. The door opens a moment later with a composed butler at the door. 

A butler, is this guy still in the 21st century?

I let a smirk curl my lips and let my hand fall to my side.

"_I'm here to see Keigo Atobe. I called ahead to let him know-_"

"... shitsureishimashita, ore kawanai wakaru-" ((Excuse me, I can't understand-))

"Ah, gomen." ((Sorry)) I interrupt and smile at his blink of surprise. "I'm here to see Keigo Atobe. Please tell him Ryoma Echizen's cousin is here." The butler stared at me a moment longer before inviting me into the foyer and went to do as I asked. Fourteen minutes later I'm invited into a parlor where there are a few more faces than I expected. Some I can put names to as they're so famous they've made it into some American tennis magazines. I immediately recognize Kunimitsu Tezuka and Syuusuke Fuji but I've kept my face so perfectly schooled blank, I don't think they'll know I want to take a gun out and shoot them in the face now. I might be wrong, Kunimitsu and Syuusuke look tense when they look at me.

I narrow my eye and smirk, oh my. Is that a tinge of guilt I smell?

"Welcome, Meino-san." Atobe greets me curiously and I turn to look at him, he looks even more frilly in person. I can't believe this guy has a beauty mark too, it makes me curious on how he managed to get Ryo to love him when his arrogant attitude would have made me want to wipe the floor with this guy.

"Kaito or Kai please." I interrupt him blankly and he stops, irritation flickering across his face as if he's unused to being interrupted. Probably is too, sod. "I'm American even if I have Japanese heritage. And if I have to base how well Japan's culture is by the example set by you guys, I'll happily stay American." I see it in their faces already, the stirrings of depression fueled rage. They've already set the "arrogant American" image on me and I want that. Let me fool them with a mask and stab them from behind because these guys are about to go through hell before I'm done with them.

"... Kaito it is." Atobe concedes gracefully without losing face and I have to applaud a little at that, he's smooth if nothing else. He must be a good tennis player too if he was with Ryo for three years. The carefully schooled smirk is placed on my lips as I place my free hand in my other pocket and stand there looking perfectly at ease under some now terribly hostile stares.

"So you're all Ryo's **friends**." I say simply, not even that dense looking guy in the corner can miss my sarcasm in that statement. He's big, black hair spiked up and he's standing way too close next to the guy with a bandanna. His purple eyes are dark when they stare at me and I smirk back at him. That has to be Takeshi Momoshiro. Ryo's first crush and heartbreak.

Okay, Kunimitsu and Syuusuke just got shoved down by bandanna boy and Takeshi.

"And you are Echizen-kun's cousin." Another male commented staring at me, a blue cap covering his head. He seemed tired and so did the silver haired youth beside him. I looked at them closely, then walked over to them and to the surprise of everyone in the room held my hand out.

"Ootori-san and Shishido-san yes?" I asked and they seemed surprised I bothered to address them politely as people in Japan would have. They shouldn't have been, they had been Ryo's friends in the end. For that they earned my sympathy, if not my trust. "Ryo spoke highly of you in his last message, thank you for being his friends until his end." There was a unanimous wince through the room at those words and my smirk was back, oh there was so much guilt to work with. These guys were going to be putty in my hand. As the two doubles partners shook my hand, there were some brief introductions and when I had the names of my primary targets with the faces, I smiled deceivingly at them in a gentle manner as I leaned against a wall.

"I'm glad I got to meet all of you. The people who drove Ryo to suicide." I informed them smiling as my eyes went dark and the room suddenly grew very tense.

"You sonova-!" Akaya snarled as he dove at me and before anyone could stop him, had the collar of my shirt bunched up in his fist as he dragged our faces together. "What the hell do you know!? You weren't here, you don't even know him or us! How dare you make accusations!?" He demanded as Oishi tried to drag him back and I laughed in his face.

"I know the red in your eyes isn't from your demon mode, Akaya Kirihara. I can also tell that by the paleness of Seiichi's face over there, he hasn't slept well in a week, Genichirou looks ready to topple over from exhaustion because he's pushing himself too hard in work and trying not to think about what has happened. Queen Keigo is also unhealthily thin, not good for a soon to be pro tennis player, and that guy who's sleeping over there? Nice try, he's not sleeping. He's trying to block it all out from his mind. Why are you all like this? Simple, you all feel guilty." I said in an even tone of voice.

Shock loosened Akaya's grip on my shirt and I jerked it out of his hands laughing as shock entered their faces as they stared at me. "I'm Kaito Meino, I was supposed to be coach and team manager for this year's Goodwill games and they've called me The Empath. Everything about you is written in your body and I can see it all. The guilt, the shame, the desperation to forget." I paused and straightened my shirt smiling. "I see everything."

"Then you can see the door." Momo snarled at me and I turned to him, unshaken as he pointed at it. "Get out!"

"An anger born of guilt is often the most violent. You're desperately trying to prove you're not to blame or at fault, is that where your anger comes from Takeshi?" I asked him and he froze, I knew I had hit the right buttons.

"It looks to Ore-sama that you came here to make us feel guilty. Are you satisfied?" Atobe demanded, face pleasantly blank but eyes dark with rage. I burst out laughing at that.

"Ore-sama?" I repeated snickering. "You're so full of yourself." I informed him sneering and that was when Yukimura stood abruptly knocking his chair over. Even I was a little surprised, I hadn't thought he would get riled up so quickly.

"Please leave, Kaito-kun." He asked me softly and I blinked at him, tilted my head to the side once and nodded lightly.

"Sure thing. Oh, if any of you want to talk to me, I'll be at those quaint street tennis courts Ryo used to talk about. I've also left my cell number with your butler, Queen Keigo." I told the room and turned for the door, opening it.

"Cheh, why the hell would any of us want to talk to you?" Kaidoh hissed at me and I peered over my shoulder to look at the room amused.

"Because Ryo's alive and I've got him." I slammed the door shut as surprise shot through the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's notes: **It occurs to me that typing out this dramatic story while listening to "Wonderful Days" sung by the Prince of Tennis boys at the Senbatsu training camp is terribly ironic.

**Languages:** Naturally people have noticed by now that in Prince of Tennis they alternate between English and Japanese. So I've worked a little of that into the story. Italicized sentences are words spoken in English or from an English standpoint. Normal speech indicates they are talking in Japanese dialect, I hope this clears up some confusion.

* * *

_"So, how did it go?"_ Kevin's voice asked as I held my cellphone to my ear and sat on the Sky Train looking out the window tiredly. We always spoke in English when we could, seeing as his Japanese accent was sort of terrible and made it so damn difficult for me to understand him. 

_"Ugh, it was ugly. If looks could kill I would have been sent back to you in a box, mangled and unrecognizeable." _I responded with a chuckle to my voice, though my eyes were terribly blank and empty. I felt miserable over what I had done, about how badly I had hurt some of the people in that room but if I was going to ensure this would never happen again it had to be done.

_"I believe it, you can act like a real bastard when you want to."_ Kevin's voice commented back at me and I smirked.

_"Thanks Kev, I love your lame ass too. How's _he_ doing?"_

_"Alright for an amnesiac. I took him to the place you recommended and right now I seriously doubt he doesn't remember me."_

_"Oh? What makes you say that?"_

_"Well he's remembered he can play tennis. This little shit beat me in ten minutes flat..."_ I laughed aloud at that causing a few people to look at me. Despite how angry Kevin might have sounded, his voice was amused, relieved and hopeful. I couldn't deny I was feeling the same things as well.

_"Has he remembered anything else?"_ I asked a moment later when my laughter had subsided and I could feel the tension fall over the conversation as Kevin didn't answer immediately.

_"... no. He remembers your name, that he can trust you and that he likes tennis. I haven't been able to bring anything back besides that. ... we're not enough, are we?" _He asked softly in a broken tone and I smiled sadly on my end as I leaned back and let my head bump against the plastic window of the train as it rattled to a stop at the next station.

_"I didn't think we would be. How much have we occupied of his twenty years? I was with him for 12, you've been with him for 8 but in those years that he knew us, how much time did we spend with him?"_ I asked softly.

_"Hmm... point. So now I've gotta ask, what is _this guy_ doing here?"_ Kevin's voice became distasteful and I could immediately guess at what he meant. I smothered a chuckle as I was sure he would kick my ass for that and instead answered in a straight voice:

_"Well if a cousin and a distant friend couldn't do it, maybe a brother could?"_

_"...This guy partnered up with a fake sleaze and nearly got him killed along with his entire middle school team if rumors are to be believed."_

_"Hey I'd like a guy if he almost got my fucking so called "teammates" killed."_ I responded smoothly and Kevin laughed again. _"What are they doing right now?"_

_"Playing a match. Gods, when I played him, I used a Twist Serve and he gave me this dark glare like I had just murdered his cat. After that the psycho used his Cyclone Smash. I swear he's remembered his hate for me in copying his moves if nothing else." _I laughed again.

_"Speaking of which, did Ryoga bring the cat like I asked?"_

_"Yeah, she's currently sitting on my lap asleep. I wonder how he got the cat away from his father when Nanjirou treats her like the last living memory of him? Oh well. OI! What the hell did I say about Drive As to the face!? I know you hate him but Christ alive!" _Kevin's voice was suddenly terribly loud as he screamed across the court and I wrenched the phone away from my ear wincing. Still, a smile worked its way across the face even if it was a bit sad.

It looked like Ryoga, Kevin and myself weren't enough. It was hardly surprising. So my premontions had proved true, we needed _them_. Disgust filtered into my expression and I knew it. I didn't like the fact that to bring the old Ryo back, we had to use the people who had killed him in the first place. As I spoke a few more words with Kevin, I got off at my stop and began walking towards the tennis courts they were using.

My phone went off.

_"What's up?"_ I greeted as I flipped the phone open.

_"It's Tezuka."_ I stopped short in surprise as that heavily accented voice spoke and stared at my phone incredulously for a moment, before bringing it back to my ear, a look of distaste flowing across my eyes.

"What?" I asked boredly as if unaffected, my mask firmly back in place as I turned the corner and saw the steps leading up to the courts come into sight.

"What did you mean Echizen is alive?" Came the blunt and straight-to-the-point question. A smirk curled my lips of its own will and I chuckled, low and sinisterly into the mouth piece.

"What does it sound like Kunimitsu? Oh, and put me on speaker so you your friends won't have to hang on every word from your half of the conversation." There was a pause, and then his voice came back sounding much more distant.

"How do you know us so well?" Came Atobe's voice and even now that arrogant tone of voice just grated on the nerves, I wanted to sock this guy in the face for some undefineable reason.

"S'my job your highness. Look, if you're calling me to know what I mean when I said Echizen is alive then that means you doubt me. And if you doubt me, you just failed test number one. Think that over pumpkins, I'm going to play a tennis game now. _Sayonara._" And I hung up. As I ascended the stairs, my eyes fell upon an unrecognizeable youth. The only thing he had in common with the Ryoma I knew were his hair and eye color. But those eyes... those eyes were blank. It was like coming upon a body with no soul in it. Lights are on, nobody's home. In the time with Kevin and Ryoga, something had begun to fill those eyes and as Kevin called 6-2 games in Ryo's favour, he turned to look at me and smiled. I was determined to preserve that smile and bring that to his face everyday.

If I had to alienate myself from these people to do that, so be it.

_"Nice game."_ Ryoma said to his brother and shook his head as Ryoga sighed and shook the hand with a fragile smile, as if he didn't dare to believe this was real.

_"Hey, Ryoga!"_ I called waving to the teen who smirked at me as I stepped onto the court hands in my pockets. _"Long time no see."_ I greeted and he sneered.

_"Tell me you punched one of those guys in the face." _I laughed and shook my head, watching his eyes gleam with dissapointment. That was why **I** had gone to talk to them and not Ryoga. He'd have been thrown out and charged with assault. As I turned to look at Ryo, I had to blink twice to really see him underneath his changed apperance. He had pulled all of his hair back into a short ponytail and it took the youthful look away from his face. How could hair change so much?

_"It's not just his hair."_ Kevin told me, reading my expression. _"His facial expressions are different too. I mean really, I would've never thought he was capable of giggling before this."_ I did a double take.

_"He giggled?"_ I demanded staring.

_"I think he did it on purpose."_ Ryoga muttered looking sulky as he crossed his arms looking way too cute for his own good as Ryoma's stolen cap was perched crookedly on his crown. The cap he had taken long ago when they had last met on the cruise ship.

_"Why's that?"_

_"Because when Ryoga was talking about how he was beaten last time, he giggled and Ryoga slipped in disbelief and lost the game point."_ I broke out laughing as Ryoga sulked some more and Ryo smiled, he didn't say anything but the look in his eyes made us feel relief. Ryoma Echizen was still alive, and he was happy right now. That was enough for us. As he relieved Kevin of Karupin and petted her fondly, I glanced at the other two to see if she had sparked any memories and they both shook their heads.

Ugh, that meant we really did need his old teammates for this. Life sucked.

_"Oi you, did you decide on a name yet?"_ I asked looking at Ryoma who blinked back at me. Calling him Echizen didn't work because he never remember that was his name and didn't respond.

Calling Ryoma made him have a mental break down and Kevin made sure to avoid that after we had managed to calm him down. The last thing we needed was our young tennis prodigy to jump in front of a car or off a balcony as the last case had presented. Ryoma was off limits.

He glanced up at the sky as his hands calmly smoothed Karupin's fur and he tilted his head to the side letting a stray lock of hair slip over his forehead.

_"Ryo sounded fine."_ He said after a moment and I gave him a crooked smile.

_"Okay, Ryo. Play a doubles game with me!"_ I suddenly told him and he blinked as I moved to the bench where Kevin's spare tennis equipment was. Picking up a racket, I looked at him and nodded. _"We'll take those losers to lunch."_ I informed him and he laughed and nodded.

"What's he playing at?" Kevin murmured softly to Ryoga in Japanese as they both went to fetch their tennis gear and stretch some to warm up since Kevin had cooled off since his last match.

"When they were in elementary, those two were doubles partners. After the accident that crippled Kai, Ryoma became a singles player. He's probably trying to get those memories back." The older Echizen brother informed his American counterpart who nodded.

_"... neh, Kevin?"_ Ryo called out as I stretched on the court.

_"Hmm? What's up Ryo?" _Kevin asked turning to him and he pointed at the crown of his head to Kevin's sunglasses.

_"Can I have those?" _There was a unanimous blink among all three of us, then Kevin shrugged, took them off and handed them over.

_"Don't break 'em, those things aren't cheap."_ He informed him smirking and Ryo chuckled as he took them.

_"Oi! You ready yet?"_ I demanded from the other side of the net. Kevin flipped me off laughin as I took the receiving position and Ryo joined me as the other two took position on the other side.

_"Oh, Ryoga, did you tell your parents and nee-chan yet?"_ I asked as Kevin tossed up the ball and served, he was being nice and going for my right side.

_"No, personally I hold them responsible too."_ Ryoga answered as I returned the ball to his court and he sliced it at Ryo who returned it smoothly with all the grace of a pro.

_"'kay, we're going to have to explain why we weren't at the funeral rehearsal today."_ I responded as Kevin did a drop volley and I dived for it.

_"Tch, like I care. He's way more important."_ Ryoga grumbled as he ran for the ball and returned it to Ryoma who performed Drive C. For a moment Ryo said nothing as we scored the first point, then he looked to Ryoga, eyes hidden behind Kevin's sunglasses.

_"... thank you."_ He mumbled and we stopped.

_"Eh? For what?"_ Ryoga managed out, surprised. Ryo was silent a moment further, than he pulled the glasses down and smiled.

_"I don't know... but when you say I'm important it makes me... I dunno."_ He admitted flushing a little at his inadequacy to express himself and we all stared.

_"... AHHHH, I'LL KILL THOSE NEGLECTFUL SON OF A BITCHES!!"_ Kevin screamed as Ryoga and I jumped in surprise. As Ryoga had to dash over and stop his partner from going over to Atobe's mansion that minute and stabbing them, I just laughed sheepishly and patted Ryo on the shoulder who looked absolutely miffed.

* * *

The game panned out rather evenly despite Ryo having beaten both Ryoga and Kevin, and that was mostly my fault. The guys were trying to be nice by hitting to my right and avoiding my blind side, but sometimes they swung on instinct and the last thing I'd remember would be it flying over the net before vanishing. Ryo stared at me strangely, confused as to why I couldn't return things to my left side, but accepted it without asking and moved to cover my side at times. 

That action made me grateful that he was still the kind and understanding kid he'd been back when we were still both living in the States, but also sad because that meant he didn't remember why I was blind on my left side. Maybe that was for the better, some memories just weren't worth remembering...

_"Game set and match, 7-5."_ I announced a short while later and Ryoga and Kevin both dropped to the ground on their side of the court breathing hard.

_"I'm done."_ Kevin moaned and Ryoga simply brought an arm up over his eyes to hide them from the sun as he sweated. I wasn't much better off. I was a tennis coach and nowhere near on par with these guys, if Ryo hadn't been on my team the match would have been one sided. As Karupin waddled over, she began to lick Ryoga's face in earnest causing him to laugh exhaustedly. Light clapping is what broke off that laugh as our eyes glanced to the side and we spotted...

"Ah, your highness." I mocked as the group stood there.

"Ore-sama wants answers." Atobe said firmly, his arms crossed as he tried to glare me down. "And he wants them now."

"... do you always refer to yourself like that?" Ryoga had to ask staring at Atobe like he was insane.

"That's the nutsoid that had the whole stadium cheering for him like he was some kind of king in the first Goodwill matches." Kevin explained to the tennis player who nodded slowly but couldn't keep from staring.

"I though queen was more fitting." I commented and Ryoga snorted while Kevin sneered. Turning our attention back on the Kantou region players, I'm sure we looked quite evil considering we were all looking at them with strained smiles, our eyes belying our urge to kill them. I think Akaya noticed because he said nothing, even when Kevin pointedly asked if he still slid into poles when trying to get the ball.

Test number two, how aware of your lover are you?

"These are three members of the US team, after the matches were cancelled most of them flew back to America," this was true, they had. And speaking truthfully, Ryoga and Kevin _were_ members of the US Team, so it was only half a lie, "but for obvious reasons some stayed, and I had to tag along as their supervisor. Our captain, Smith Kevin whom I'm sure some of you already know well."

A few faces darkened at that as Kevin fluttered his fingers at them mockingly in a greeting. I suppressed a snicker and moved on.

"Echizen Ryoga, Ryoma's older brother." I informed them and noted how some members gaped openly. Chief among them were Yukimura, Sanada, Atobe and Jirou. So his lovers for three years didn't know he had a brother huh? What did that say about their attention span? Ryoga said nothing to them but his expression was dark as he turned his back on them and began practicing his swing with a little too much jerkiness in his arm hinting at his rage.

"... and this is my younger brother, Meino Ryoshuu. He prefers Ryo." There. I practically spoon-fed them the answer.

There some mutual greetings shared and one went so far as to even shake hands with Ryo but there were no stares, and no one even paid him more attention past the greeting.

I knew my face was not blank, hell my face was in utter shock and so was Ryoga's and Kevin's.

**"ARE YOU GUYS FREAKEN SERIOUS!?"** Kevin began abruptly and everyone glanced at him. "AND YOU CALL YOURSELVES HIS-!!!" He was silenced when Ryoga clapped his hands over his mouth and began whispering fiercely into his ear while Ryo blinked. I didn't blame Kevin, this was so unbelieveable I was ready to pack up and call it quits then and there. Ryoma's old memories be damned, he had to be better off without this lot who couldn't even recognize him. On that note, I recalled why I had brought them here and glanced at Ryo, but dammit all Kevin shouldn't have leant him his sunglasses. It was so much harder to read someone when their eyes were covered and I wasn't able to tell if he had reacted to them or not.

He hadn't said anything yet and I instead turned back to them who were looking at me fiercely. An idea sparked in my head.

"You want answers queen?" I asked and Atobe glared at me. "Then get on the court and let's have a match."

Ryoga and Kevin stopped mid-sentence in their argument to gape at me.

"... what?" Sanada finally managed to get out in the resulting silence. I smirked at their disbelief as I swung the racket once and loosened the muscles in my arm.

"I've heard of your destructive play. How you purposefully delayed a match to damage someone's shoulder and of your Rondo Towards Destruction." I answered and watched him from the corner of my eye. Was that a wince? My my, was someone ashamed of that famous match? How interesting... "That and I've heard you were one of the Royal Six of the Kantou area, so c'mon. Play me and if you win, I'll give you some answers." I told him and walked onto the court watching Ryo out of the corner of my eye.

He was tense, was he remembering things? If he was, I could sacrifice my pride because I knew there was no way in hell I was going to win when I couldn't even beat Kevin.

"One set match, Meino to serve!" Sanada called as he reffed the match and the rest of the players took a seat on the provided benches. I noted their positions quickly. Kikumara and Oishi were close, so that pairing was still strong. So were Ootori and Shishido. Jirou and Gakuto were undeniably together, but it was interesting how close they were to Oshitari who was with Atobe. Oshitari also had Yukimura on his other side and they were holding hands, as far as I could recall hadn't Yukimura had a problem with being with too many men? Had Ryo's suicide jarred him that much? Kirihara occupied Yukimura's free side as he spoke softly with a bespectacled male who I remembered vaguely was known as Inui. Beside him sat a man I could only assume was Takashi Kawamura because he seemed familiar with Kaidoh and Momoshiro.

"Hmm... didn't expect so many people." I remarked as I found some new faces. One was a group of individuals that caught my eye, mostly because the one in front looked like a carbon copy of Kirihara save for the eyes. That was a little terrifying... Men in red shirts were also there, one kept cracking stupid puns and I secretly applauded everytime his friend booted him back in the head. The last team I guessed their identities and had it confirmed when another bandanna wearing weirdo refered to a redhead as Tachibana-buchou.

But the smallest one in red, he caught my interest the most.

"Ryoma's alive, if he says he is then I believe him! Ryoma would never die like that!!" He screamed while arguing with a man who had dual shaded hair.

Score point for the loud one.

"I believe him as well." Yukimura whispered softly and I stared at him. Okay, score point for the loud, crazy one and the soft, delicate one. Well, there was opposite ends of the spectrum for you.

"Oi!" A voice called my attention to the other side of the court and I blinked. "You're making Ore-sama wait." He snapped and I smirked.

"Sorry Queen Keigo." I said laughing as I tossed the ball up and felt a lightness in my chest that maybe, maybe this situation was salvageable. The match was naturally one sided, Atobe took the first game without trouble as he hit evenly between my left and right side. The right hits I managed to return, but the lefts I swung wildly at and almost always connected with air. I think he began to notice something as he began hitting to my left more often, this occured I noticed after he had brought his hands up to his face and peered at me intensely between them while laughing in a tone that seemed a touch insane.

Was that his infamous "Insight?" If so, that was bad. If he played to my weakness I would never draw out the side of him I needed Ryo to see. Time to be a bastard I surmised, this was going to get ugly.

"So your majesty," I called as I smashed the ball in his direction, he returned it of course, "what's better about Oshitari-kun? Is it the fact he's a slut and Ryo isn't?" Kevin and Ryoga winced outwardly at the insult and I felt guilt crash down on me inside. I saw from the corner of my Oshitari's reaction, he went pale and trembled.

Oh man this was going to demand an apology later.

Ryo looked confused at my insult, he was probably wondering why I'd said it, but it had the desired affect.

"Don't you dare talk about Yuushi that way!" Atobe snapped, his composure gone for once as he put his weight behind his next shot and returned the ball. It was going to be a heavy hit, I knew that and I placed myself so that it appeared as if in trying to return it, I lobbed.

**There.**

Leaping into the air, I watched as Atobe's form swung at the ball and knew without a doubt that as it flew forward, the pain my hand signaled I had lost grip of my racket.

And as he leapt into the air again, I think I saw a bit of what Ryo must've seen in him. That lithe and graceful form that portrayed the sense of a God.

... I probably shouldn't tell him that, his ego might inflate unbearably I though as I watched the ball go sailing past me.

"Game Atobe! 3 - 0!" Sanada called, his hands gripped tightly with fury. Ugh, I shared a look with Kevin and we both remembered my statement earlier about if looks could kill. If they could, I reiterate: I'm a dead man. Ryoga however was looking at Ryo, who looked faint. Hope won out my fear, we were getting there.

"Not bad, not bad." I complimented Atobe as I bent down and picked up my racket, my bangs hiding my face. "Say, I've been wondering about this since I saw him..." I suddenly commented as I straightened and tested the strings of my racket, remembering it had been a habit of Ryoma's.

"What?" Atobe growled at me and I let a smile curl my lips as my hidden eyes showed my self-hate as I voiced the next question.

"Do you have to be gentle when fucking Yukimura? He looks really delicate, makes me wonder how he could ever top anyone."

_"BUCHOU!"_ ((Captain))

_"Yamatte buchou!!"_ ((Stop captain)) Came the panicked yells as four people, Kirihara, Niou, Marui and Kuwahara leapt out of their seats to grab Sanada who looked at me with murder in his eyes.

Oh yeah, so dead. Then I looked at Atobe and nearly had a heart-attack as a ball went flying past my face grazing my left side. I'd barely seen it and crumpled to the ground as my knees went weak, eyes wide in pure terror. All thought process stopped as I clutched the left side of my face and shook.

"Kai!" Kevin yelled and moved forward to my side where he kneeled down. "Idiot, there's such a thing called going too far." He whispered to me as I breathed in shallow breaths, trying to remember to think. Objects at fast speeds going by or coming in from my left often paralyzed me. It was one of the fatal flaws in my mind as I was constantly forced to relive the moment when I had lost my sight on that side. It was also the reason I had taken up psychology in hopes that I could overcome it. I hadn't had such luck so far though.

"Get up." Atobe whispered darkly and I swallowed roughly, trying to remember what I was doing. As I nodded to Kevin to signal I was fine I got to my feet shakily.

"N-not bad." I said, trying to sound confident and cursed the stutter in my voice as I went to receiving position and kicked at the ground taking a deep breath.

Calm down, calm down. You're almost there. All you have to do is get Atobe to be violent and that should do it. He'll remember something, and from there on it's smooth sailing I thought.

"Atobe to serve!" The new referee, Saeki called as he glanced at me with complete and utter hatred. Ugh, I was friendless on this court. As the match began anew, Atobe was ruthless. He hit to my left side, knowing now that for some reason it was my weak side and he exploited it ruthlessly, even if he didn't know why it was there.

I didn't stop, it wasn't enough that he just beat me, he had to injure me. I hated manipulating him, everytime I called an insult to Oshitari, Jirou, Yukimura and Sanada I whispered sorry in my mind. I almost had him when he actually hit a ball with a violent spin that it lashed up and struck me in the gut.

But not enough I realized as I looked at Ryo. He was pale, his eyes wide behind those sunglasses. But not enough. As he looked at me, not comprehending why I was saying all these terrible things, I mouthed "I'm sorry" at him and moved to receiving position.

"What is he..." Kevin murmured as I looked at Atobe and took a deep breath.

"I'm beginning to think Ryoma is a whore for dating you." I said and waited for the mob of tennis players to kill me. No really. I honestly was. Ryoga and Kevin gaped at the extent to which I had gone and the rest of the players...?

Let's just say thank God Yukimura, Tezuka, Kentaro, Tachibana and Akazawa had firm grips on their team or I would be sooooo dead. And to best honest, I don't think I would have minded at that point, I felt so ashamed of myself I don't think I would be able to look anyone in the eye after this.

"Muga no Kyochi..." One breathless voice whispered, with a start I glanced at Atobe as I knew what that particular phrase meant. I watched in horror as Atobe gripped the ball tightly with his knuckles before throwing it up, and it suddenly hit me that the one who had spoken was Ryoma.

"Atobe!" A voice yelled, it was Fuji's as the tensai shot to his feet. "Don't use that! He's just been-!"

"I'll crush you!" Atobe roared as he hit the ball and my eye immediately took in that the spin on this ball would direct it towards my face. A serve meant to hurt.

Didn't Kevin talk about this move on a tape he had seen? How he had been wondering if he should use it against Ryoma back in the days when he had hated him and decided to copy him instead after some thought. What had he called it?

Oh yeah, Knuckle serve.

As the ball struck the ground and bounced up curving to my face, my body froze in fear as it went into my blind side. I think that's the last thing I remember as I hit the ground and everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's notes: **The last chapter, it's been a fun ride guys, thanks for reading. :) I think this is the first time I've finished a multiple chapter story in two days... amazing...

* * *

"How dare you stand up for him!? He called your brother a whore!" 

"You don't know anything about him Atobe-san, so with all due respect, shut the fuck up!"

"Anyone who dares to insult Ryoma when he should be resting in peace... how on Earth can you claim he's doing what he thinks is best!?"

"And that's why we haven't told you where he is, because you don't bloody damn well believe! You've given up you spineless, neglecting bastard!"

"Shut your mouth foreigner, you don't know anything about **me** so don't you dare-!"

"Oi, monkey-king, quit being noisy."

It went deadly silent as Atobe stared at Ryo, completely lost. It was then that I moaned and opened my eyes, apparently I'd come around sometime in the middle of a fight and judging from the hard granite beneath me I was still on the tennis court.

"What... what did you call me?" Atobe whispered looking at Ryo and as I opened my eyes, I saw him leaning over me.

"Monkey-king, isn't that what I always call you?" He asked without thinking as he looked me over. "Are you okay, Kai?" He asked quietly and I nodded, my head throbbed like a bitch and something felt broken but probably wasn't. All in all, I had just been thoroughly beaten at a tennis match and for a moment I felt happy just lying there on the pavement until...

My eyes widened.

"Ryo! Did you...?" I asked, my voice trailing off as he stared at me blankly from behind those sunglasses. No, not completely, but... but we were getting there.

It was movement on my left that shocked me out of my despair as I immediately threw up my hands with a yell to cover that side and Oshitari froze, blinking.

"... relax, I was just going to look you over and see if you have a concussion." I blinked as those words sunk in and turned my head to look at him with my good eye, confused and my guilt showing through as I forgot to mask it in my pain.

"Why? I'd feel better if you slapped me for all the things I've been saying." I said softly, then froze.

Kevin and Ryoga both face-palmed in unison as they groaned. Well, there went the cruel bastard cover. Everyone in the area looked at me, confused and shocked. Oshitari blinked a bit more, then shook his head and moved his hands over my head, feeling my scalp for bumps or scrapes.

"I'm sure you had your reasons, you don't seem too bad to... me..." He trailed off as his hand accidentally pushed my bangs aside and he got a glimpse of what they were covering. After a moment of freezing, I slapped his hand away wide eyed.

"T-thanks for understanding but I'm not-!" I stammered, trying to stand but failed when Ryo himself grabbed my hand and pushed back my bangs exposing my face entirely. Shock rippled through the crowd as several dark and angry scars were revealed. They dashed across the entire left side of my face and my left eye was shut, useless and unable to see. I was stunned, I had never expected this move from Ryo who stared at the scars, wide eyed. Everyone was silent, you could hear the cicadas chirping their obnoxious noises as Yukimura's hand went up over his mouth to hide his surprise.

Then Ryo began to tremble as he continued to look at the scars.

"I... I remember..." He began and I started, both Ryoga and Kevin gaped as Oshitari looked sharply at Ryo as he continued to stare. "... that day, I remember that day..." He whispered, white as a sheet.

_On a bus going to a local tennis tournament, Ryo had begged me take him since Aunt Rinko wouldn't let him go alone, so I agreed. He was ten, I was twelve and we were doubles partners, well on our way to becoming the best of our age group._

_It was raining that day and the roads were slick and slippery, Ryo was worried the matches would be cancelled and his face lit up as I told him it would be in a dome so they would just pull the roof over it and the matches would continue. Riding in the back of the bus, we joked and laughed hoping we'd get there soon._

_I saw the speeding car out of the corner of my eye as it zoomed past the bus and as the light turned yellow at the intersection, the driver stepped on the gas trying to bypass it but it went red and the cars on the other lanes began to move. It happened so fast._

_The car crashed into one, another crashed into that one and a pile up began. Trying to avoid the mess, the bus driver swerved and Ryo was thrown against me as my back smacked into the window and a car crashed into the bus on Ryo's side sending the glass shards of the broken windows everywhere. The bus spun once more, before rolling over, landing on Ryo's side and as my cousin slipped from my arms, all I remember was reaching out as we fell, wrapping my arms around him and..._

"You flipped us." Ryo whispered, tears streaming down his face. "You flipped us and I landed on top of you as your side smacked the broken window." He cried as his finger traced the lines of the scars. "The glass cut you like this... I remember. And... and during the rescue when the fireman was helping us out, you handed me out first and... and you became stuck because an adjacent car exploded after and a piece of metal landed across the escape window."

I stayed silent, so did everyone else as they looked at him and by the sound of his voice, so deadly similar to his last message to them, began to realize who he was in shock.

"It was the mayor who saved you." Ryo whispered now. "He pulled you from that bus because he was by the crash. He saved you and used you as his icon to win that year's election. He didn't want you to heal completely because then you wouldn't be as tragic a figure, so he bribed the doctor to keep you from getting full treatment and you lost your left eye. It's my fault. It's my fault you lost the ability to play tennis. I'm the reason you were even on that bus... I..."

"Stop it." I whispered. Ryo froze.

"How many times do I have to say it, Ryoma?" I asked and if any doubts were lingering in the minds of his "friends" that one question obliterated them. "It was my choice. My choice to go with you, my choice to protect you. Things happen because they happen, sometimes you can't change that." I looked at him and smiled brokenly.

"If I wanted to blame you for something, I'd blame you for trying to kill yourself and making me feel like I've failed you as a cousin." He winced. "But I don't," I continued, "you did what you thought was right, and so did I at that time. But... this time, do what I think is right and don't ever try that again, okay?" I added after a moment, my voice soft and pleading. "I can't go through that again, if you have a problem, talk to me or nee-chan, talk to Ryoga or Kevin and we'll come beat the shit out of your fucking douch-bag boyfriends because they don't see you."

"Because I would totally kill them for you." Kevin said calmly and Ryoga smirked cracking his knuckles at Tezuka who blinked.

"... sorry." Ryo whispered and ducked his head to hide his tears as Ryoga walked up and pulling off the baseball cap on his head, plunked it down on Ryoma's while stealing Kevin's sunglasses and perching them on his own nose.

_"Baka."_ ((Idiot)) I grumbled as his hand fell away and let my hair fall forward to hide my secret again. "You shouldn't be sorry. ... well okay you should." I corrected after a moment as I placed my hand on his head and hugged him lightly. "They should be more though. They should be damned sorry for lying to you, manipulating you and not remembering you're human too." I was pleased at the guilt I saw on their faces, satisfaction coursed through me but I felt miserable that it had taken a damn near successful suicide attempt to make them realize what they'd been ignoring. They had thought Ryo could take anything, but he couldn't. He needed to be loved, cherished and protected, I also had a sneaking suspicion he had a cuddling fetish. As Atobe came over and kneeled down in front of us, his face was apologetic.

"Ryoma... I'm so sorry." He whispered, his face agonized as Ryo tried to hide his tears behind the brim of his cap. I stared at Atobe, then thought for a moment.

Lifting up my leg, I planted my foot in Atobe's crotch, but lightly.

Shock slapped everyone across the face as Atobe yelped and fell over bent double.

"Kai!" Ryoga, Kevin and Ryo all yelled at me stunned and I shrugged.

"That was for hitting me in the face dickhead." I informed him.

* * *

So that was that. After the match Oshitari proclaimed I was fine. Ryo was magically alive again to his family who rejoiced and declared the funeral null, though I asked if they could keep the appointment until after I'd talked to everyone who'd been on the court that day and apologized. 

When I showed up at the University to apologize to Sanada and Yukimura, Sanada crushed me in a hug, said I was forgiven and nearly broke a rib. Yukimura cried and said it was unnecessary because he saw the shame in my eyes the moment I stepped onto the court. Tachibana invited me out to dinner with all the old Fudomine Regulars.

When I went to talk to the Tezuka and his team, they avoided me and I can't say I blamed them for that. So I gave a letter to Sakuno Ryuzaki on Ryo's advice and asked her to give it to them. I got a phone call the next day calling me out to their campus and preparing myself for a beating I went.

Instead they told me they'd been so ashamed of their actions they couldn't bare to face me but wouldn't have me thinking it was my fault. I assured them it wasn't, after all... Fuji had apparently stood up for me when I was knocked out and Atobe was ready to behead me. When I looked at the tensai to confirm what I had heard from Kevin, he smiled mysteriously at me and said: "Your heart just didn't seem to be in it, I also thought it was weird your cousin's name was Ryoshuu. After all, it means "loneliness of a journey." It was quite a poetic choice though." I smirked at him, and after a moment of hesitation, asked him about the whole affair that had transpired between him and Ryo when they were in middle school. After listening to his story, he added faintly after a moment that he wished he'd never done it and broken their friendship in a so thoughtlessly and needlessly cruel way.

I told him to stop being a sappy coward and go talk to Ryo about it. Now those two along with Tezuka have scheduled a day for friendly tennis matches to see how much the other has improved. Inui is joining them that day to collect "much needed updating" on his data while Taka will house them for sushi in the evening afterwards.

Momo invited Ryo to burgers a week later, and he and Kaidoh now go jogging in the mornings. Kikumaru and Oishi have begun their own personal care of Ryo, basically ODing on tackle hugs and the constant: "Are you eating enough?" or "Is anything bothering you?"

Meanwhile Kevin, Ryoga and I have instated ourselves in an apartment in Japan and now attend University, albeit while on different campuses, in the same general area and keep tabs on Ryoma and the guys around him.

Kevin and Ryoga ended up together, which makes it awkward when I need to study at night. Kirihara was surprisingly thoughtful when I complained about my problem one day and bought me a discman, now Kevin and Ryoga complain to me how my off-tune singing at night kills their hard-ons and I smirk evilly at them. Ryo is back with Atobe and is joined by Oshitari. I gagged when I heard this, I still don't like Atobe, though I did apologize for insulting them later. I did **not** apologize for canning Atobe and to say we're at odds is a bit of an understatement. But we don't hate each other. He's grateful to me for saving Ryo, and I'm grateful to him for making Ryo happy. It's a hateful love I suppose.

Jirou and Gakuto are the new Momo and Kaidoh in the manner that they're always fighting (or rather Gakuto keeps yelling at Jirou while he sleeps) but somehow always manage to end up having a make-out session. Kirihara is also still with Yukimura and Sanada, and I swear everytime I see those three I feel sorry for Seiichi because those guys work themselves to death caring for his every need. I also got to meet Jin Akutsu for the first time while watching Ryo practice. At first he just stared at me, then he punched me in the shoulder, I assume he meant gently, and thanked me for... finding Ryo I guess. His counterpart and assumed boyfriend Dan Taichii was much more nice about it, but a little too energetic. Now a guy named Kiyosumi Sengoku keeps finding perverse pleasure in dressing me up and dragging me to clubs where I'm hit on by girls. He seemed anguished when I told him I wasn't really interested in girls and just said "Another one!?"

I sort of feel sorry for him.

Two months into this when the dust was beginning to settle, Oshitari called me over and asked for some specifics about my eye, I was touchy about the topic, but figured I owed it to him for purposely using Oshitari's past nightmares on him in that match against Atobe. After some conversation, he told me it was possible to have my eye fixed with surgery, because after all it was just the muscle and tissue that were preventing use from my eye.

I told him I knew that, but I didn't have the money for it. He offered to pay and I refused saying I don't take charity.

Four weeks later I was kidnapped on my way out of school by... well... everyone and informed that I had to get the operation. Seemed Oshitari had told Atobe, Atobe had told his minions who spread the word and... well... 'nuff said. What really got me to accept was when Kabaji, Kabaji of all people, said that it might help Ryo in dealing with the guilt of his belief that he had caused it.

I scared the shit out of Ryo two months later when at the end of a friendly match (2 - 6 in Ryo's favour) he confronted me about why I was no longer missing left side shots and I pushed back my bangs to reveal a perfectly good eye. Shishido and Ootori who were playing a friendly doubles match on the court over with Marui and Jackal laughed as Ryo struggled not to cry and offered us lunch at a cafe next Saturday.

Naturally that was when we threw Ryo's surprise birthday party and watched with amusement as he got shit-faced and left with Atobe and Oshitari who planned to take full advantage of this. I'm not worried, they both looked damned nervous when Kevin and Ryoga shot them dark glares warning them against doing anything too outrageous.

Currently we're nearing the end of the party and I can't help but smile at the deliriously happy people around me. Makes me warm and fuzzy inside and all that sappy stuff. And as I push a laughing and drunk Kentaro off of me, I'm more than a little surprised as a hand helps me up and it leads to a Wakashi Hiyoshi.

"If you're drunk I'll kill you." I mumble as he presses me against the mattress in a hotel room. He chuckles, low and smug against my lips as we kiss. His hands start getting frisky and I growl.

"I'm never uke."

"Gekokujyou." He informs me slyly. Ten minutes later into foreplay, I think I'm going to have to start learning bottom.

**The End.**  
((I actually recommend listening to Wonderful Days, the full version, while reading the last part. It's quite nice.))


End file.
